|
Who has not
walked out into the Florida summer sun and
quickly run back in to grab a pair of
sunglasses? The average person in Florida
owns two pairs
 of sunglasses.
Our research has proven that there is a
direct link between the "sunburn rays"
from the sun and the developing of damage
to the eyes that will block driving vision
and reading vision!
Ultraviolet radiation (sunburn rays), from
the sun or any UV source, will lead to
increased formation of cataracts and
retinal degeneration, both of which can
cause vision to go bad. The good news is
that this damage can greatly be reduced by
simply protecting the eyes from the sun's
harmful ultraviolet rays. Think of wearing
sunglasses as wearing sunscreen for your
eyes.
More than 80 percent of sunglasses sold in
the Tampa Bay area are imported, and there
is absolutely no correlation between the
cost of sunglasses and their protection.
There also is no correlation between the
darkness of the sunglasses and their
protection.
Tampa Bay residents need to choose
sunglasses that offer the best protection
for their eyes. Almost everyone picks
sunglasses for the wrong reasons: to make
a fashion statement. The No. 1 reason
should be to provide visual protection by
filtering out ultraviolet light. The
glasses also should reduce glare, while
distorting colors as little as possible.
Very few of us realize that sunglasses
without UV protection are actually doing
more harm than good! Wearing old
sunglasses WITHOUT UV protection lets in
MORE UV light to damage the eye. The dark
lenses fool the eyes, and the pupils of
the eyes dilate, letting in more UV light.
You may be surprised to realize that the
FDA does not regulate sunglasses or even
the labeling on sunglasses. When it comes
to sunglasses and their level of
protection from dangerous ultraviolet
light, consumers are often left in the
dark.
As a medical doctor ophthalmologist, I
want you to enjoy wearing your sunglasses
with comfort and confidence. When you are
shopping for sunglasses for yourself or
your children, I recommend you look for
the following:
1. Get the best (100-percent) UV absorbing
sunglasses available. The label should say
"meets general purpose (or special
purpose) UV protection requirements.: They
may have a statement "Blocks at least
X-percent of UVB and Y-percent of UVA."
The higher the percent of protection from
UVB (B is bad) is what you want.
2. Do not use the high price of sunglasses
or the dark color of the lenses as any
indicator of their protection. Remember:
Cost and darkness are no proof of
sunglasses' protection.
3. Avoid buying sunglasses that have no
ultraviolet protection rating posted on
them. This might include the fast-food
chains that are giving millions of
sunglasses to kids this summer, often with
no labeling.
4. Become an educated consumer to
recognize and select only sunglasses that
offer 100-percent UV protection for
yourself and your children. You have to
protect yourself because no manufacturer
requirements or federal regulations
protect you at this time.
Now that you have the sunglasses that make
you look great, that protect you from UV
rays and that are dark enough, but not too
dark, how can you wear them wisely?
A. Never wear sunglasses for night
driving!
B. Remove your sunglasses whenever the
light levels are too low for proper
seeing.
C. Never stare directly at the sun or at
an eclipse, with or without sunglasses.
'Even the best UV-protecting sunglasses
cannot protect the eye from damage caused
by staring at the sun.'
D. Do not wear sunglasses as protection
against artificial UV light sources, such
as UV lamps or lamps in tanning booths.
If you have questions, please ask your
ophthalmologist, optometrist or your
optician.
Prescription sunglasses from your eye
doctor or optician should be ordered with
the same UV protection. Special clear, UV
absorbing coatings are available for
everyday clear glasses and are
recommended. There also are new lenses
that change color (darken) in response to
UV sunlight. The new "transition" lenses
offer UV protection and prevent the need
for two pairs of prescription glasses.
This may be an option to consider
choosing. One disadvantage may be that
they do not turn as fully dark or as fully
clear as separate pairs of sunglasses and
clear glasses. Please discuss this with
your eye doctor or optician.
We live in Florida, so please take
advantage of those fantastic sunny days on
the beaches; but be sure to use proper
protective eye wear as "sunscreen for your
eyes." This is the time of year when the
sun's rays are the most direct and are
able to do the most damage.
The invisible UV sunburn rays are so
powerful that they can damage the front
cornea, the internal lens and the retina,
all the way inside your eye. This is even
more critical if you are taking certain
medications, such as birth control pills,
tetracycline, or sulfa antibiotics,
diuretics (water pills) or tranquilizers
(nerve medicine), or have had cataract
surgery, all of which make your eyes more
sensitive and susceptible to UV light
damage.
Remember, your eyes deserve the best --
they are the only ones you will ever have. |
